The Sky Speed is the same shoe as the Asics DS Trainer without the stability post and the stupid new heel design. Asics likes to copy neutral shoes to their stability line and vise versa then renamed them as a "new" model.
I'm not sure what the Skylon heel to toe difference was. I'm sure it's close to the Lunar Racer which is a 6mm difference. The heel is 24mm and the toe is 18mm.
Just got my Speedstar 5's today. They did snug up the fit in the toe box which for me is a good thing. I too loved the Skylon and went through I think 6 pairs. First impression of the SS5 is that it is very similar to the Skylon. I really liked the pair of Launches I had, but for some reason I wasn't drawn to get another and I can't put my finger on a specific reason.
It really just comes down to which one fits your specific foot best.
I've been running in the Sky Speed for the last month after running in DS's for about three years. I switched to a neutral shoe to resolve some lower leg issues. I love this shoe, but I disagree with the claim that it is basically a DS Trainer without the medial post. Even though on paper the specs seem to be more of less the same, the Sky Speed has a very different ride than the DS. Most notably, it has a firmer feel. It also feels lower to the ground, even though I don't believe it actually is. I ran in the DS 13, 14 and 15 and the Sky Speed feels totally different. If you want a firm responsive ride that has a low, go-fast feel, this is a good shoe.
I've been running in the skyspeed for the last couple of weeks, and I agree that this shoe is LEGIT. Much better than the Asics Speedstar, a shoe that is simply not as good as the Launch.
If you are looking for a good neutral lightweight trainer, I think that the Skyspeed and the Launch are the best ones out there right now. As the previous poster mentioned, the Skyspeed feels more than just a DS Trainer without the post. It has less cushioning than the launch, but the heel is lower and it just feels more responsive which in my opinion makes it a better shoe for faster paced training. The Launch is a softer, mushier shoe which just feels a little off when you're really trying to hammer. One thing you may want to try is wear the Skyspeed on your more quality days and the Launch on your recovery days, as the Skyspeed imo is more geared toward quality work.
I actually found the Skyspeed to be a tad softer than the DS Trainer, which actually makes sense considering it is a shoe for neutral runners rather than overpronators. It is also more flexible than the DS Trainer. New Balance also just released the 890 about 3 days ago. I just ordered this shoe, and i'll post some feedback as soon as I do a few runs in it. There has been a lot of hype surrounding it, and it looks to be yet another great option to consider. The neutral lightweight trainer category could use some more options anyway and its good to see shoe companies coming out with good new models.
which shoe is more cushioning? skyspeed or ds trainer?
Try the PUMA FAAS 500. I just started another thread about it... great lightweight shoe.
kirkaz yo wrote:
which shoe is more cushioning? skyspeed or ds trainer?
They're exactly the same. If you want to be technical the DS Trainer has a medial post instead of cushioning on the medial side so the skyspeed technically has more cushioning. But their midsole heights are the same.